ERIE, Pa. – The Thiel College wrestling team led 23-7 with three matches remaining and were able to hold off a late surge by Penn State Behrend to win the non-conference match, 23-21.

The Tomcats jumped out to an early lead when Cory Bable (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) collected a decision (14-7) win at 125 pounds over Jacob Funkhouser and Matthew O'Connor (Pittsburgh, Pa./Carrick) added a forfeit victory at 133 pounds to make it 9-0 after two matches.

Justin Walter (Hermitage, Pa./Hickory) kept the momentum rolling for the Tomcats when he earned a major decision (15-2) over Dan Bishel at 141 pounds to give the Tomcats a 13-0 lead.

Jacob Ognibene scored the first points of the night for the Lions with a major decision win at 149 pounds. Thiel bounced back at 157 pounds when Jason Miller (Clarksville, Pa./Jefferson Morgan) pinned Brandon Miller with seven seconds remaining in the first period

Thiel collected its last points of the night in the 174-pound bout when Dominic Farabaugh (Loretto, Pa./Penn Cambria) collected a major decision (14-4) over Max McCann.

Penn State Behrend added 14 late points over the final three matches but it proved to be too little too late.

Next up for the Tomcats is the Rochester Institute of Technology Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 2. The invitational is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

Thiel 23, Penn State Behrend 21
125 – Bable (T) dec. Funkhouser, 14-7 (3-0)
133 – O'Connor (T) won by forfeit (9-0)
141 – Walter (T) maj. dec. Bishel, 15-2 (13-0)
149 – Ognibene (B) maj. dec. Mion, 16-6 (13-4)
157 – Miller (T) pinned Miller, 2:53 (19-4)
165 – Svets (B) dec. Sims, 9-2 (19-7)
174 – Farabaugh (T) maj. dec. McCann, 14-4 (23-7)
184 – Parsons (B) pinned Cianci, 3:15 (23-13)
197 – Paulson (B) tech. fall Brooks, 23-6 (23-18)
285 –Lenhardt (B) dec. Colligan, 5-0 (23-21)